The New York Yankees will have a significant hole in their lineup to begin the 2025 season.
Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton had reported to spring training with pain in both elbows. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported that manager Aaron Boone said Stanton’s issues were akin to tennis elbow. His status for Opening Day was in doubt, especially since swinging the bat could be the reason for his injury.
Further mystery surrounded Stanton when he left spring training to head to New York the following week. Hoch reported that Stanton’s reason for leaving was “personal in nature” and that the Yankees would not elaborate further.
At this point, the Yankees have more questions than answers about Stanton, so they have begun looking outside the organization. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Yankees have been in contact with designated hitter J.D. Martinez in the wake of Stanton’s injury and personal situation.
The 37-year-old Martinez had a solid showing as the Mets’ DH in 2024. In 495 plate appearances, he produced a .235/.320/.406 batting line, hitting 16 homers and 24 doubles. While Martinez does not have the same power as Stanton, he would be a respectable replacement.
The problem is that the Yankees expect Stanton to return at some point this season. As such, there has been some hesitation in bringing Martinez in as a stopgap, as both players are essentially limited to the DH role at this stage in their careers. Martinez has played exactly 12 innings in left since the start of 2022, and Stanton did not make an outfield appearance in 2024 in an attempt to keep him healthy
Stanton has an extensive injury history, missing time every season since 2019. The Yankees need to find players they can rely on to return to the World Series and bring home the championship. Although signing Martinez may cause a logjam at DH in the future, it is a risk the Yankees need to take.